from The History of Hendricks County (Indianapolis: B.F. Bowen & Co., 1914)--pages 830-832
The men who till the soil are the men who stand at the foundation of the prosperity of our country. The profession of farming is one which antedates all others, and the only one which can exist independently of any other, and for this reason the farmer is the backbone of the nation. It is the product of his hands which fills the banks, turns the wheels of the factory and directs all the industries of the country. Farming is really the basic industry, and he who causes two blades of grass to grow where one formerly grew, is performing as useful a mission in life as the man who builds a flying machine, constructs a battle ship or digs the Panama Canal.
Earl Duncan, the son of William G. and Matilda (Barnes) Duncan, was born in Liberty Township, Hendricks County, Indiana, November 11, 1878. William G. Duncan was one of the early pioneers of this county, and the history of the Duncan family may be considered typical of the history of many of the older families of this county, and it may be found elsewhere in this volume in the sketch of Charles P. Duncan, a brother of the subject of this sketch.
Earl Duncan spent his boyhood days on the home farm and received a good, practical education in the district schools of his home township. Marrying at the age of twenty-three, he immediately engaged in farming south of Amo, this county, and a year later moved to his father-in-law's farm of one hundred and seventeen acres which is now managing. In addition to raising all the crops of this locality, he makes a specialty of feeding hogs for the market, and he has gained the reputation of being one of the best hog raisers of the county, this branch of agriculture adding very materially to his annual income. He is a progressive farmer and does not hesitate to take advantage of the latest developments of machinery and the newest ideas in the culture of crops.
Mr. Duncan was married on October 9, 1901, to Ada Reitzel, the daughter of George W. and Elizabeth (Norton) Reitzel, and to this marriage have been born three sons, Wendell, Russell and Ralph.
George Washington Reitzel was born August 29, 1847, in Hendricks County, Indiana, and is the son of Daniel and Melvina (Burks) Reitzel. Daniel Reitzel was born in North Carolina, and came to Hendricks County, Indiana, with his brother, David, and brother-in-law, Joshua Pickett, when he was twenty-one years of age. Here Daniel Reitzel entered one hundred and sixty acres of land from the government, and two years later sold one hundred acres of his farm to Israel Jackson and sixty acres to David Reitzel, and he then returned to North Carolina, but shortly afterwards returned to this county and bought land in Clay Township. Later he went into Hamilton County, but again returned to Hendricks County and bought a farm in Liberty Township. He afterwards sold this and purchased a farm in Clay Township and in the fall of 1869 went west, where he bought a farm and died in 1873. Melvina Burks was born in Kentucky, and came to Putnam County, Indiana, with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Allen Burks, when a babe in arms. She died in 1878. Daniel Reitzel helped to build the first Lutheran Church about one and three-fourths miles south of Pecksburg, this county, which was a rude log structure. Mr. Reitzel was very highly respected and esteemed in this county. He was twice married, and by his first marriage he had one daughter, Rachel Appley, who lives east of Avon, Indiana. By Mr. Reitzel's second marriage there were nine children: Allen, who lives in Pecksburg, this county; George, the father of Mrs. Duncan; Ambrose, also a resident of Pecksburg; William, of Peru, Indiana; John, of Franklin Township; Marcus, of Indianapolis, and three daughters who died in infancy. George W. Reitzel was married in 1883 to Lizzie Norton, daughter of Thomas and Rebecca (Harlan) Norton, and her death occurred in 1895. To this marriage there were born two children, Mrs. Ada Duncan, and Mrs. Hazel Patterson, of Hazelwood, Indiana. In 1907 George W. Reitzel was married to Julia Henderson and to this marriage were born two children, Helen and William Allen. Mr. Reitzel has been a prosperous farmer in the county and is now the owner of two hundred and sixty-nine acres of good farming land in Liberty and Franklin townships. He is a member of the Masonic order at Clayton and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Monrovia. Mr. Reitzel is a Republican in politics and a loyal member of the Lutheran Church, of which he is now the only trustee.
Mr. Duncan is a Republican in politics and takes an active interest in the affairs of his party. He has been road superintendent for the past six years, his last term expiring January 1, 1914. He is a member of the Improved Order of Red Men at Hazelwood. Mr. and Mrs. Duncan are both members of the Christian Church at Hazelwood and he has been a trustee of the church for the past three years. Mr. Duncan is a man of high ideals, straightforward and unassuming, and commands the respect of all with whom he comes in contact.